HELD (BACK) Synonyms: 107 Similar and Opposite Words

held back

verb

past tense of hold back

as in hampered

to create difficulty for the work or activity of the only thing holding them back from joining the swim team is lack of transportation

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in stifled

to refrain from openly showing or uttering held back her tears until she was alone

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of held back As chair, Wicks has outsized influence over whether a bill gets held back, and the Appropriations Committee can do so without offering a public explanation. — Andrew Graham, Sacbee.com, 30 July 2026 Past Microsoft quarters were held back by capacity constraints that left Azure revenue on the table. — Jeff Marks, CNBC, 30 July 2026 Still, Riyadh is now effectively held back from getting Pak nuke tech and probably even American too. — Melik Kaylan, Forbes.com, 28 July 2026 Crump said this could be because parts were held back by the medical examiner in the first autopsy, which Mitchell explained was common while undergoing further testing. — Lorena O’Neil, Rolling Stone, 22 July 2026 Toure was knocked down briefly after his play and had to be held back by team personnel from joining in on the celebration after Fitzgerald’s interception. — Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 16 July 2026 Skeptics have argued that generous welfare benefits and the resulting high taxes have held back the Nordic economies. — Nicholas D. Kristof, Mercury News, 14 July 2026 The funds will be held back from schools until early next year, when California’s new governor can reassess the financial landscape with a clearer picture of revenues. — Charlie Borla, Oc Register, 9 July 2026 But Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Stjepan Radelijic held back Sergiño Dest just outside the box, forcing the referee to pull out a yellow card and give the USMNT a grade-A opportunity to pull away a bit in the 80th minute. — Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 2 July 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for held back

Verb

But even use of that system is being hampered because state officials haven’t been trained in how to enter cyclosporiasis cases yet.

— Blake Ellis, CNN Money, 20 July 2026
The search was hampered by the fact that Horan’s gravestone, like many at Blake Street, had eroded to the point that it could no longer be identified.

— John Moritz, Hartford Courant, 20 July 2026

Definition of hampered

Verb

What’s less arguable is the quality of Kinnear’s performance, a fine study in comic understatement at first that modulates into a delicately limned portrait of pain barely stifled.

— Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 21 July 2026
While some economists express pessimism about future growth due to diminishing returns, Nobel laureates like Joel Mokyr and Philippe Aghion remain optimistic, arguing new technologies like AI enable exponential progress if innovation isn't stifled.

— Bill Conerly, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026

Definition of stifled

Verb

Many neurodivergent people aren’t hindered by their autism and may not need or want intervention.

— Isabella Backman, Hartford Courant, 25 July 2026
Lars Moravy, vice president of vehicle engineering, said Tesla has a good relationship with NHTSA and does not expect to be hindered by federal regulations.

— Bloomberg, Mercury News, 23 July 2026

Definition of hindered

Verb

Tunick’s lawyers have filed a motion with the court asking that all evidence from the interrogation, including the use of the duress code, be suppressed due to violation of his constitutional rights.

— Ryan Whitwam, ArsTechnica, 27 July 2026
Paul got his wish when the Cavs swapped Garland for Harden despite Garland’s suppressed trade value.

— Jason Lloyd, New York Times, 25 July 2026

Definition of suppressed

Verb

Technological precision impeded the potential of inspiring victories from the likes of Iran, Croatia, and Egypt.

— Sean Gregory, Time, 20 July 2026
The result is a meditative action movie both immense and intimate, albeit one whose flow is impeded by the inherently episodic nature of the nonlinear source material and some questionable casting choices.

— David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 15 July 2026

Definition of impeded

Verb

His view of the water in front of him was obstructed by the concrete debris, a deckhouse and a crane on the barge, prosecutors said.

— David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 21 July 2026
In a 2022 request to interview Floris and Benavides, the senators said the episode frustrated and obstructed their oversight.

— Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 19 July 2026